Dorcas Restored to Life

“At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room…But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, ‘Tabitha, arise.’ And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. Then he gave her his hand, and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive.” –Acts 9:36-37, 40-41 (NKJV. Read Acts 9:36-43).

Many miracles were performed through the power of God and through the disciples’ obedience to Him in the early church. At Joppa, Peter was able, after praying earnestly, to call Tabitha (Dorcas) forth from the dead.

Tabitha, her Aramaic language name, lay ill. Her Greek name is Dorcas. Her occupation was seamstress. She was well known throughout Joppa for her good deeds and charity to those in need.

A dramatic event happened while Peter was at Lydda. Aneas, a man paralyzed and bedridden for eight years, had been healed. Peter told him Christ would heal him and commanded him to take up his bed and walk. That news soon spread throughout Lydda and Sharon. Since Joppa, the town where Tabitha (Dorcas) lived was near Lydda, the news of Peter’s healing reached there. Could it be that he could raise Dorcas from the dead?

Two men were sent to get Peter to go to the house of Dorcas in Joppa. Have you ever wondered what went through Peter’s mind as he walked from Lydda to Joppa?

Evidently the men who were sent to fetch him thought Peter could raise Dorcas from the dead. Or maybe they wanted him to come to say some words at her funeral, to eulogize her goodness as a believer and to commend her deeds of mercy and her expertise as a seamstress.

When Peter arrived, he cleared the mourners and others from the room where Dorcas’ body had been laid. He knelt and prayed. Then he turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, arise.” She opened her eyes, immediately recognized Peter, and taking her hand, she was restored, whole to all those gathered for her funeral. The raising of Dorcas was a miracle used of God to draw people to him. The church grew and many believed when they heard of the miracle.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Thursday, April 22, 2010

Barnabas, Friend and Encourager

“When Saul went to Jerusalem, he tried to join the group of followers but they were all afraid of him. But Barnabas accepted Saul and took him to the apostles. Barnabas explained to them that Saul had seen the Lord on the road and the Lord had spoken to Saul. Then he told them how boldly Saul had preached in the name of Jesus in Damascus.” –Acts 9:26-27 (NCV).

“Barnabas accepted Saul and took him to the apostles…explained to them that Saul had seen the Lord…” Because Barnabas befriended Saul of Tarsus, he became a strong encourager at a critical time in Saul’s life. After all, Barnabas was dealing with what we could say, tongue-in-cheek, was a “basket case,” Saul who would become Paul the Apostle. If you do not remember how the “basket case” entered into Saul’s early life as a Christian, read Acts 9:22-25. Saul’s very life was saved by lowering him in a basket over the city wall of Damascus at night. There is no record that Barnabas was there, helping with this act to save Paul’s life. But in Jerusalem, a strong believer, Barnabas, whose name means “son of prophecy” or “son of exhortation” a former Levite from the isle of Cyprus, was Saul’s staunch advocate, supporter and encourager. Saul needed such a friend in his early ministry when his life was changing from persecutor to proclaimer and when many distrusted this new, zealous missionary who had once pursued Christians with a vengeance to imprison them.

Barnabas is mentioned twenty-three times in the book of Acts and five times in Paul’s epistles. It is interesting to trace these references to a man of God and an encourager of others. Not only did Saul (Paul) benefit from this man’s encouragement, but so did young Mark and others. On Paul’s first missionary journey, Barnabas assumed the role of leader. We read about Barnabas as encourager and leader in Acts 13 and 14.

Later in the spread of the gospel and the churches, Paul commended Barnabas, who by then had taken Mark and formed another missions team. Barnabas, like Paul, found ways to support himself financially on his missions, a principle Paul advocated.

We all need a friend and encourager. Jesus said the law and the prophets could be summarized in “Love the Lord God with all the heart, understanding, soul and strength…and your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12: 30-31) Barnabas was a man in whom these principles of Christian love were exemplified. Is someone waiting for your love, encouragement and help? Richly we have received; let us likewise give.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Monday, April 19, 2010

Ananias, Chosen for a Special Task

“Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and to him the Lord said in a vision, ‘Ananias,’ and he said, ‘Here am I Lord.’ So the Lord said to him ‘Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.’…And Ananias went his way and entered the house: and laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.” –Acts 9:10-12; 17-18. (NKJV. Read Acts 9:10-19).

Ananias was a disciple of Christ in Damascus. The Bible is silent on how he became a believer. But his devoutness and ability to hear and obey the Lord played an important part in Saul’s early Christian experience. God was working on both Saul and Ananias to accomplish His purposes.

When the Lord first spoke to Ananias, choosing him for the special task of ministering to Saul of Tarsus, the known persecutor of the believers, Ananias was afraid. In response to the Lord’s command to go to Ananias, this disciple said to the Lord: “ I have heard about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.’” (Acts 9:13-14). Ananias had reason to be afraid, to question the Lord’s intention in sending him to Saul. Would this disciple, too, not be cast into prison?

The Lord revealed to Ananias his further purpose in going to Saul: “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” (Acts 9:15-16).

In being obedient to the voice of the Lord, Ananias had a very important role in assisting Saul to know that what had happened to him on the road to Damascus was really of the Lord. With the simple acts of going to Saul and laying his hands on him, Ananias became confirmer and friend. Ananias may have been the one to baptize Saul (Acts 9:18). Whether Ananias was the one who baptized Saul, he certainly was witness to this important rite of Saul’s identification with the believers. We learn valuable lessons from Ananias. He listened when the Lord revealed His plan to him. He was obedient, even though he had some fear of the outcome. Trust in the Lord was evident in his going to Saul and ministering to him at the point of his need. Ananias means, “The Lord has dealt graciously.” His life, actions and obedience were testimony to his name.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Sunday, April 18, 2010

Paul, from Persecutor to Proclaimer

“Now Saul was consenting to his (Stephen’s) death…As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women committing them to prison…Immediately there fell from his [Paul’s] eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. And when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Sual spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.” – Acts 8:1, 3; 9:18-20 (NKJV. Read Acts 8 and 9).

Paul, from persecutor to proclaimer, from adversary to apostle, from imprisoner of Christians to impassioned preacher. What a dramatic change God wrought in the life of Saul, better known as Paul the Apostle. We read with awe and rejoicing the amazing conversion of Saul, and how God worked in his life to bring the miracle of belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and Paul’s total commitment to the Lord’s cause.

We could say this was predestined—and it was. God knew from the foundation of the world that Paul would become His unparalleled witness to the Gentiles. But at the same time that God knew this, and was working out the details (some of which in retrospect, definitely seem to us to be contrary to the will of God), Saul had a choice. When he was blinded on the Damascus Road on his way to persecute more Christians, he could have chosen not to heed the Light that came to him, hear the Voice that called to him and said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4).

But Saul answered: “Who are you, Lord?” Notice Paul’s immediate recognition of someone Mighty and with great power to get his attention. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” (Acts 9:5).

Why such a dramatic conversion? Why a Light and Voice from heaven? Much has been written about Paul’s turning from persecutor of the church to outstanding preacher, proclaimer, missionary and writer. He called himself “a Jew of the Jews,” well-trained and well-grounded in Jewish law, prophecy, tradition and practice. He was as zealous in his persecution of the hated Christians as he was later in the bold proclamation of the Truth. His conversion is a grand testimony of the power of God to enter and change a life completely. That same power experienced by Paul is still at work today, converting anyone who will choose to turn from his/her old way of life to the new life offered by the Son of God. Selah.

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Saturday, April 17, 2010